Dryer vents: Problems with vent covers

Posted on January 6, 2014June 4, 2018

Save money and possibly your home with this quick fix.

Dryer vents are a fire hazard, and can be a real maintenance issue and if you’ve read our previous article you should have a good understanding on the importance of regularly scheduled dryer vent cleaning. If one of your buildings is having an ongoing issue, we have a suggestion that might help solve the problem. Change the exterior vent cover.

Often builders place orders for vents without acknowledging these vents perform a different function and therefore require a different vent cover. Perhaps they get cost savings by buying the same style in bulk. Whatever the case, there are numerous ways to cut corners on a job for which the repercussions aren’t immediately felt.

What should you look for?
Perform an inspection of the vent covers on the outside of the building. If the wrong type of cover is used it can actually prevent the hot air and lint from escaping the building. Dryer vents are different from any other vent in that more than just air is meant to escape. The best vent is a cover with a simple flap with no mesh grille, it opens when air forces it, and closes when the dryer is off.

The problems occur when the openings are too small or there is mesh installed over the vent as they clog very easily. In addition, these small openings do not allow the use of professional dryer vent cleaning tools.

Good air flow is critical for proper venting. Anything that prohibits lint from leaving the system is a bad idea.

We began our relationship with IMAGINE Maintenance in 2013 when we started piecing out the more complex components of our maintenance projects to outside companies. We soon recognized the value in their service and their ability to adapt to our clients’ strict security, record keeping, and trades policies. They have had challenging logistics to work with and deadlines to meet and have proven to be more than capable. They conduct themselves professionally and with an emphasis on safety, which is of utmost concern for our organization. We continue to rely on IMAGINE when large challenging projects emerge and have every confidence in their ability to deliver. I recommend they be given serious consideration for your project.

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Our commercial building is comprised of mixed use tenancies which consist of mainly high-end retail. Thus, appearance is extremely important. We recently contracted IMAGINE Maintenance to clean the awnings at the retail level and found their work to be coordinated efficiently and completed in a timely manner which reduced any inconvenience for our tenants. Their cleaning methods made the awnings appear almost brand new. We would definitely recommend this company.

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Our commercial building is comprised of mixed use tenancies which consist mainly of high-end retail. Thus, the appearance of this area is extremely important. We recently contracted IMAGINE Maintenance to clean the awnings at the retail level and found their work to be coordinated efficiently and completed in a timely manner which reduced any inconvenience to our Tenants. Their cleaning methods made the awnings appear almost brand new. We would definitely recommend this company.

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